Twenty three years after they first joined forces, Danny Boyle and Alex Garland are back, and bolder than ever. Having worked together on 28 Days Later, its only right that the director/writer pair reunited for this reboot. While 28 Weeks Later proved to be a somewhat successful sequel, it lacked the raw excitement of its predecessor. With Boyle back behind the camera, and Garland writing the script, 28 Years Later shows these two still have a lot to say, in a fresh and enthralling way.
The first film in the franchise, 28 Days Later, was a fresh spin on the tired “zombie” genre. (Although technically the films do not contain zombies, but “infected”). The film is scary, well-acted, and shot with an intense energy that only Danny Boyle could have brought to the project. It’s a film that wasn’t afraid to get dark and dirty, and did so with glee. I think its utterly unforgettable, while the follow up, 28 Weeks Later, fell a bit flat. It’s not necessarily a bad film, but compared to the first it felt like something was missing. In 28 Years Later, whatever was missing is back…
I’m always weary of reboots and sequels, especially in the day and age of over-saturated streaming services and theater releases. It’s not impossible for sequels to soar, however, and that’s what 28 Years Later does- and with style. Watching this entry felt like watching something completely new- how it feels when you first fall in love with watching movies. Despite being a years-removed sequel, the entire thing felt nostalgic, unique, and fresh all at once.
28 Years of Infected Later…
The world of 28 Days Later was far less scarred and decayed as the world gone by in 28 Years Later. The UK continues to remain a quarantine zone in which the infected are gathered in groups, ready to bite. Some have advanced, such as the ‘Alphas’, while others wither away or bloat themselves. Either way, its hard to go far without running into an infected, something both the first and most recent film never forgets. While the main characters are from a small, secluded village on a peninsula, the mainland is a dangerous place where anything can happen at any time.
We see these new versions of the infected through Spike, a twelve year-old boy’s eyes. He has never left his small village, and has only ever trained to kill infected. Boyle and Garland made it so that Alfie’s first time seeing the world is as terrifying as possible. The visceral imagery and piercing sound effects enhance the feeling of coming face to face with terror for the first time. The infected shriek and bite through human flesh, while arrows and bullets puncture through rotten flesh with a punch. The whole thing is a symphony of gore and misfortune, with an emotionally strong story to bolster on its shoulders.
28 Years means Anything Goes
The last thing I want to do is give too much away, as this film has more than a few tricks up its sleeve. I was constantly stumped and surprised by the direction that the story took, and never once was I bored. The main character of the film is Spike, a young boy who grew up in this post-apocalyptic world. Spike’s parents play a huge role in the film, placing a fierce family drama within the scope of a horror-action-epic. Needless to say, the story takes some bold swings, and they pay off, sometimes not in quite the way you’d expect.
What remains from the first entry in the series is the grounded view of the human condition. The 28 franchise has always filled out its bleak world with real people, good and evil alike. There is also always a strong emotional core, which is really focused on within Spike’s relationship with his sick mother. As surreal and mind-numbing as the horror and action scenes are, the human drama is never far behind. And while Alfie Williams, Jodie Comer, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson give phenomenal performances as a dysfunctional post-apocalyptic family, I can’t go on without mentioning Ralph Fiennes.
As per usual Ralph Fiennes was a pleasure to watch on the big screen. This man has covered so much ground, seeing him play a half loopy-half scholarly Doctor in a world gone mad just makes sense. Compared to other roles, Doctor Kelson is a quiet character, but one that carries a lot of weight. There are some fantastic moments that elevate the film past its zombie-sequel confines. Fiennes, more than anyone else, brings a haunting realization of sadness to these scenes.
Stop, Look, Listen!
I cannot emphasize just how beautiful this movie is across the board. Of course, I mean that thematically as well as visually, as there are scenes that can be hard to watch. Garland has written intense sequences of violence that unfold in an anxiety-inducing manner thanks to Boyle’s manic style of filming. Outside of the dizzying scenes of action, there’s beautiful landscapes in the Scottish highland location, and the scenes of human connection can be as loud or as quiet as needed, depending on the current tone. Boyle’s decision to mainly film on iPhone gave him a wide range of mobility, resulting in some inspired shots of break-neck action and suspense.
While visually the film takes you on a wild trip, the towering soundtrack is constantly drilling its way into your skull. At times it can be very peaceful, or rousingly dramatic, or almost unbearable to listen to. There are sound bites mixed with samples mixed with a beautiful score and lyrics all concocted by Scottish band “Young Fathers”. I have truly never seen or heard anything like this in a film before- some sequences are downright hypnotic. So while not for the faint of heart, the film will certainly get the horror crowd’s blood pumping and eyes popping with delight.
28 Years Part Two?
Honestly speaking, I have never been this excited for more sequels. If you told me this film was going to be turned into a new trilogy I wouldn’t have seen it. Its a bad habit, but sometimes I go ahead and judge a book by its cover. I didn’t think a sequel this far out would work, but now, I am all in. It just feels so surprising. Sequels, especially reboots, tend to lose something from the original, resulting in a limp and hollow-feeling experience. Danny Boyle and Alex Garland have beat the odds. And with good talent backing these continuing projects, it looks like the remaining 28 Years Later films should prove to be an exciting and worthwhile franchise to keep up with.
